Was Homer Roberts the First African-American Automobile Dealer

Between 1919 and 1929, Homer Roberts sold new cars of at least 20 different makes, including: Buick, Cadillac, Chalmers, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Haynes, Hupmobile, Jordan, Lafayette, Marmon, Maxwell, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Rolls-Royce, Rickenbacker, and Whippet. Prices of new cars Roberts sold ranged from $328 for a Ford to $17,500 for a custom-built Rolls-Royce.
Though the Hupp Motor Company records have not survived, investigations by Rusty Restuccia for the book Homer B. Roberts: An Extraordinary Life cite four reasons to conclude that Homer Roberts became an authorized distributor of the Hupp Motor Company sometime during the 1922-23 period:
The nature and extent of Hupmobile advertisement by the Roberts Company was comparable to those displayed by other authorized Hupp Motor Company dealerships.
Beginning in 1926, Roberts included the Hupp Motor Company logo in his ads which would have required permission from the distributor/manufacturer.
The Roberts Company participated in national sales incentive programs sponsored by Hupp for its dealers and was one of the highest volume Hupmobile dealers in the country.
When Roberts opened a second sales operation in Chicago, Hupp advertising announced the appointment of Roberts as its dealer in Chicago.
Roberts was most likely an authorized Oldsmobile dealer as well, because his advertisements made use of factory-prepared photos, texts, and the Oldsmobile and General Motors logos. He also advertised the availability of loans through G.M.A.C., the General Motors finance company, which would have hardly been possible if Roberts had not been an authorized dealer.
There is also evidence that Roberts was a dealer for Rickenbacker, Haynes, Whippet, and Marmon automobiles, small niche manufacturers who would have welcomed any additions to their sales volumes.
The evidence is overwhelming. The first African-American car dealer in the United States was Homer B. Roberts, operating at several locations near 18th and Vine from 1919 to 1929.

Image Captions

Image Top Left:
Though records no longer exist, evidence indicates Homer Roberts became an authorized Hupmobile dealer in the 1922-23 period.
Image Top Right:
The Homer B. Roberts “Motor Mart” was one of the highest volume Hupmobile dealers in the entire United States.
Image Bottom Left:
Evidence suggests Roberts was a dealer for several brands including Rickenbacker, a company started by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker.
Image Bottom Right:
Factory-prepared illustrations and logos in advertisements indicates Roberts was also an authorized Oldsmobile dealer.